Power-transmitting mechanism.



No. 687,59I. Patented Nov, 26, I90l. A. F. BARDWELL.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

IApplication filed Dec. 19, 1900.) (No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES: V INVENTOR M I huqz flrzfau" i?5anzzwl.

r I I m ATTORNEY N0. 687,59I. Patented NOV. 26, I9I1I.

A. F. BARDWELL. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets$heat 2.

549 I- Ml ATTORNEY ms Nonms PETERS co. wonxumo. WASNINGYOVLP. c.

No. 687,59l. Patented Nov. 26, I901,

. A. F. BA RDWELL. I POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. I (Applicatibn filed Dec. 19,1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets Shaet 3.

INVENTOR firm [fizz/"dwell.

' AT-TORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR I BARDWEL'L, or MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,591, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed December 19,1900. Serial No. 40,394. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern; 1

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. BARDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPower-Transmitting Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to power-transmittin g devices, particularly of the variable-speed type; and it comprises means whereby a driven shaft may be rotated in either direction at any desired speed, and whereby, if desired, said driven shaft may be allowed to stop or to rotate independently of the driven shaft.

Among the main objects of my invention are simplicity, effectiveness, economy, and wide range of action.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section through the center of my improved power-transmitting device, said section being taken partly on line XX and partly on line Y Y, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on the plane of the line Z Z, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isaview of a detail 'of construction, the same being partly in section on line Z Z, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams of details, showing different positions.

1 is a driving-shaft, which, it may be assumed, is to be rotated at a constant speed in the direction of the arrow.

2 is the shaft to be driven, hereinafter termed the driven shaft. The axes of shafts l and 2 are in line.

3 is a gear fixed to shaft 1.

. 4 is a gear fixed to shaft 2.

5 is a gear-case suitably mounted, so as to revolve concentric with the axes of shafts 1 and 2.

6 is a gear-wheel in mesh with gear 3.

7 is a gear suitably attached to gear 6 and in mesh with gear 4.

The gears 6 and 7 are supported by shaft 8, which in turn is supported by gear-case 5. In the drawings it may be observed that there are two sets of gears 6 and 7. This arrangement is preferred; but it is obvious that a plurality of these sets of gears is not essential. In the event only one set of these gears is employed a counterweight might be used to advantage on the opposite side of the axis of rotation of the case 5, if desired.

9 9 are friction devices, which may have con vex bearing-faces at one end. These devices 9 9 may be made of anysuitable material I teeth are such that they will properly meshwith the gear 11 at all operative angles at which the friction devices 9 9 may be tilted. The gear 11 is loosely mounted upon the hub of the gear-case 5.

13 is a gear in mesh with gear 11.

14 is a gear in mesh with gear 13 and also in mesh with gear 15, the latter being fixed upon the driving-shaft 1.

16 is a stationary bearing-support for gears 13 and 14, through which movement is transmitted from gear 15 to gear 11.

At this point it is desirable to describe the operation of the parts thus far referred to. Assume the shaft 2 and gear 4: are at rest, and assume for the present that the friction devices9 9 are retracted and out of engagement with the gear-case 5. When the drivingshaft 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, gear 3 is rotated therewith, which in turn rotates gears 6 and 7, and the gear 7being in mesh with the then stationary gear 4 will cause the gears 6 and 7 to travel around theaxis of the driving-shaft 1, thereby causing the case 5 to travel in a corresponding direction, since said case 5 affords a means of support for the gears 6 and 7, Under these conditions the gear-case 5 rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the shaft 1 at a speed dependent upon the ratios of gears 3, 6, 7, and 4. By placing the friction devices 9 9 against gear-case 5-for example, against the bearing face or disk 51 thereof-and revolving the friction devices 9 9 at a speed at which the velocity at the contact-points of 51 and 9 are equal the shaft 2 will still remain at rest. This may be assumed to be the position shown in Fig. 1, the contact-point between the friction devices 9 and the bearing-disk 51 being approximately on the line A, Fig. 1. It will be observed that the friction-disks are revolved at a constant speed relative to the speed of the driving-shaft 1. Assuming that the friction de vices 9 9 are tilted so that the points of contact between said devices 9 and the disk 51 are somewhat closer to the axes of the friction devices, then the velocity of the contactpoint will be somewhat slower, and consequently said devices 9 9 will act as brakes upon the gear-case 5, causing a lag therein, and consequently power will be transmitted through gears 3, 6, and 7 to gear 4 and cause the forward rotation of the gear 4, whereupon the driven shaft 2 will be rotated in the same direction as the shaft 1. By tilting the friction devices 9 9 until the contact-points betweensaid devices and the bearing-face '51 are coincident with the axes of the devices 9 the gear-case will be slowed down until it 7 is stopped, and then the power of shaft 1 will be transmittted through the gears 3, 6, 7, and 4 to the driven shaft 2, which will then be revolved forwardly in a direction depending upon the ratio of the gears 3, 6, 7, and 4. If instead of allowing the gear-case to revolve backward, as itwould under normal conditions, the said gear case should be driven in a forward direction-that is, in the direction of the driving-shaft 1-then the speed of the driven shaft 2 will be further increased. To accomplish this end, the friction devlces 9 may be tilted so that the contactpoints between said friction devices 9 and the bearing-disk 51 will be outside of the axes of 9 9 and farther away from the axis of rotation of the case 5. Consequently the case 5 will be driven forwardly by the friction devices 9 9 and a relatively greater speed will be transmitted to the driven shaft 2.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the greatest' speed of shaft 2 is attainable under greatest diameter of the said friction devices 9 and as far away fro-m the axis of the bearing-disk 5-1 as possible. It will also become apparent that by tilting the friction devices 9 the speed of the driven shaft 2 may be varied from the maximum down to zero by simply controlling the speed of the gear-case 5. As before stated, when the driven shaft 2 and the gear 4 are at rest the normal tendency of the case 5 is to revolve backward at a speed depending upon the ratio of the gears 3, 6, 7, and 4. Consequently by increasing the speed of thegear-case 5 aboveits normal backward speed the gear4 and driven shaft 2 must nec- 22. 1 ical controlling means may be substituted in place thereof. these conditions when the contact-points bei tween the devices 9 and the disk 51 are at the i case.

tact velocity of said bearing-points between said parts is equal to the backward speed of the gear-case 5, depending upon the ratio of gears 3, 6, 7, and 4. It being assumed that this are is coincident withthe point indicated by the line A, Fig. 1, obviouslyif the friction devices 9 are tilted so that the operative contact-points are inside of this line-z'. e., nearer the axis of rotation of the case 5the backward speedv of the latter will be built up or added to by the friction devices 9, so that the reverse direction of movement is imparted to the shaft 2. This may be varied more or less by the tilting of the contact devices 9.

I will now proceed to describe the means whereby the friction devices 9 may be engaged with or disengaged from the bearingdisk 51 of the case 5 or maybe tilted-with respect thereto.

17 17 are arms which project from bearings 18 18 of the friction devices 9 9. These bearings 18 18 are hinged on non-revolving supporting members 12 12, which are slidably mounted in suitable guideways on the fixed case 19. By preference springs 20 20 are em ployed to normally hold the friction devices 9 9 against the bearing-disk 51 at the end of gear-case 5.

171 171 are shoulderedpins projecting laterally from the arms 17 17, which pins are acted upon by cams 21 2l,which cams when rotated move or tilt the friction devices 9 9 to the exact position desired. The construction of the cams 21 is such that they will firmly hold the friction devices 9 9 in any desired position.

22 is a shaft carrying earns 21, and by which said cams may be rotated and con- 3 trolled.

25 is a sprocket-wheel which may be fixed to the shaft 22, and 26 is a chain or belt for rotating said sprocket, and thereby the shaft Obviously any other suit-able mechan- Power-transmitting devices are frequently employed in automobiles, and in automobiles it is often desirable to bring the vehicle to a Many cases are recorded the engine to transmit power to the driven or wheel shaft. I have therefore provided a controlling or locking means whereby the friction devices 9 9 may be retracted from the frictiondisk 51 of gear-case 5, so that such accidents are impossible, since when said disks are retracted from said gear-case 5 power of the motor is transmitted only as-far as the gear- This is merely a supplemental device,

,since it is not absolutely necessary to disconnect friction devices 9 9 from the gear-case 5, because in the position assumed to be shown in Fig. 1 the driving-shaft 1 is-not transmitting power beyond the gear-case 5, the speed of the contact-points of the friction devices 9 and the bearing-disk 51 being the same and the speed of the disk or case 5 being the result of the ratio of the gears 3, 6, 7, and 4. This supplemental controlling means comprises a controlling device 23, which may be tubular in form and may receive its support in any suitable way-for example by the earns 21, the shaft 22, or case 19. Theguide-pins 171 project throughslots or openings in the controlling device 23, as shown in. Fig. 3, so that the shoulders thereon bear in the slot in the controlling device 23. Consequently when said controlling device 23 is rocked or rotated it will, by engagement with the shoulders on pins 171, retract the arms 17, supports 12, and friction devices 9, freeing the same from the gear-case5 and making it impossible to rotate the drivenshaft so his g as said devices 9 are held out of engagement with the case.

24 is a lever by which the controller 23 is op erated. Any suitable means, such as a latch, (not shown,) may be employed to hold the lever 24 in a position to hold the friction devices 9 in this retracted position.

It will be observed that the gear arrangement throughout is such that it is very seldom that the friction devices 9 are called upon to act otherwise than as brakes to the gear-case 5. It is only when unusual speed in a forward direction or a reverse speed of the driven shaft 2 is desired that the friction devices 9 are called upon to drive or transmit power to the case 5. This is a great advantage in that it adds very materially to the durability of the apparatus. By this mechanism any desired speed may be transmitted to the driven shaft, and the same may be controlled by a single lever, it being merely necessary to revolve the shaft 22, so as to vary the operative position of the friction-disks 9/ Among the very obvious advantages of this were tilted from the position shown in Fig. 1 until their plane is parallel to'that of the paper.

A very obvious advantage of my invention in connection with an automobile driven by a hydrocarbon-motor is consequent upon the fact that the best efficiency of such a motor is obtained when running at a speed approximately that of its design. Therefore by interposing this power-transmitting device between the running-shaft or ground-wheel of thevehicle and the motor the latter may be started at a minimum load and run at a constant speed, while the vehicle proceeds at any speed backward or forward, as desired.

. Although I have referred to the powertransmission device as employed in an automobile, it is obvious that it is by no means limited to this use, since it can be employed to great advantage wherever it is desired to transmit motion from a driving-shaft. to a driven shaft, the speed of one to be variably controlled relatively to the other.

-What I claim is-- 1. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, and means comprising a friction-disk with convex bearing-surface to stop or control the movement of said train-case.

2. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, ashaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, suitable bearings for the train-case, and means coacting with the end face of the train-case for frictionally controlling the rotation of said case.

3. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, and means comprising a rotatable friction device to check or to control the movement of said constructionin connection with automobiles are, that the motor may be started without the necessity of disengaging or disconnecting the power-transmission devices, that the vehicle may be started very gradually and without jar or strain and the speed increased so that it will balance the power of the motor under 2 as an epicyclic train, and the gear-case 5, which corresponds to the train-arm of an epicyclic train, will be referred to therein as the train-case.

In Fig. 2 it will be observed that the gears 10 10 and the bearings 18 and their attached parts have been shown as though the gears train-case, said device beingdriven by the driving-shaft and pivotally mounted.

4. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, and means comprising a rotatable friction device to check or to control the movement of said train-case, said device being driven by the driving-shaft and pivotally mounted and normally bearing against said case. p t

5. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of gears between the same, and means comprisinga rotatable friction device to check or to control the movement of said train-case, bearings for said friction device, a support for said bearings, a spring, said support being held in its normal position by said spring, and means for directly disengaging said friction device fromthe train-case at any time.

6. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spurgears between the same, and means comprising revoluble friction devices to control or check the movement of said train-case, said friction device being pivotally mounted,

and means for varying the position of contact of thedevice with the train-case.

I speed, an epicyclic train of spur-gears, and a means for giving rotation to the train-arm, the said means being driven at a speed uniformly proportional at all times to that of the source of motion.

8. In a device for obtaining a rotary motion controllable in speed and direction from a rotary motion of a substantially constant speed, an epicyclic train of spur-gears, means comprising a rotatable friction device, and means for driving said friction device at a positive rate of speed from the source of motion.

9. In a device for obtaining a rotary motion controllable in speed and direction from a rotary motion of a substantially constant speed, an epicyclic train of spur-gears, a traincase, and means coacting with the end face of the train-case at varying radii for controlling the rotation of said case.

10. In a transmission mechanism, a driving-shaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of gears between the same, a train-case, a tiltable friction device forcontrolling the rotation of said train-case and means for perpendicularly withdrawing the said friction device from contact with said train-case by one movement.

11. In a transmission mechanism, a dr-iving-shaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, a traincase, suitable bearings for the train-case, means to control or check the movement of said train-case said means comprising a tilting friction device bearing against the end of said train-case and coacting therewith at varying radii.

12. In a transmission mechanism, a driv-, ing-shaft, a-shaft to be driven, an epicyclicv train of spur-gears between the same, a traincase revolubly mounted concentric with the- .driving-sha-ft and carrying spur-gears, rotatablemeans driven positively from the powershaft and coacting with the. train-case to stop orto control the speed of the same in either direction.

13. In a transmission mechanism, a driving-shaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, a train- .case revolubly mounted concentric with the driving-shaft and carrying spur-gears, rotatable means driven from the power-shaft and coacting with'the perpendicular end of the train-case to stop or to control the speed of the same in'either direction.

. 14:. In a transmission device, a drivingshaft, a shaft connected thereto by a train of spur-gears, a gear-case for said spur-gears and means for controlling the speed of vthe gear-case from the driving-shaft, said means comprising a friction device rotated at a uniform speed relatively to the driving-shaft and adapted to bear against the gear-case at vary ing radii and to transmit motion in either direction thereto.

15. In a transmission mechanism, a driving-shaft, a shaftto be driven, an epicyclie train of spur-gears between the same, a traincase and a suitable bearing therefor, a friction device rotated positively from the driving-shaft and tiltingly mounted and adapted to normally bear against the gear-case and to engage therewith at varying radii whereby the speed of the gear-case in either direction may be-controlled.

16. In a transmission mechanism, a driv ing-shaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, a traincase and asuitable bearing therefor, a friction device rotated by the driving-shaft and tiltingly mounted and adapted to normally bear against the end of the geancase and to engage therewith at varying radii whereby the speed of the gear-case in either direction may be controlled.

17. In a transmission mechanism, a driving-shaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, a traincase and a suitable bearing therefor, a friction device rotated by the driving-shaft and tiltingly mounted, said frictionfdevice having a convex bearing-face perpendicular to its axis of rotation adapted to normally bear against the gear-case and to engage therewith at varying radii whereby the speed of trolled.

18. In a transmission mechanism, a driving shaft, a shaft to bedriven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears between the same, a train-case and a suitable bearing therefor, a friction device rotated by the driving-shaft and tiltingly mounted, said friction'device having a convex bearing-face adapted to normally bear against the end of the gear-case and to engage therewith at varying radii whereby the speed of the gear-case in either direction may be controlled. I

19. In a transmission mechanism, adrivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of gears including a plurality of sets of shifting trains connecting the driving-shaft and the driven shaft, a support for said shifting trains and means for allowing the drivingshaft to rotate independently of the driven shaft without disconnecting said gears, supporting means for said gears, said supporting means beingrevolubly mounted concentric with the axes of the driving-shaft and the driven shaft, a friction device suitably mounted to engage with and control the speed and I00 I the gear-case in either direction may be con= direction of the supporting means for the gears, means for controlling said friction devices to normally hold said friction device in detachable engagement with said gear-supporting means, and means for disengaging said friction device by one movement, all of said parts being so arranged that a forward or rearward direction may be imparted to the gear-supporting means as desired.

21. In a transmission mechanism, a drivingshaft, a shaft to be driven, an epicyclic train of spur-gears including a plurality of shift- 

